CLEAN WATER FOR EBOLA-AFFECTED SLUM

In early September 2014, UNICEF delivered five 5,000 liter water tanks to West Point—a slum of approximately 75,000 people in Monrovia, Liberia that was hard-hit by the Ebola outbreak. The intervention was prompted by the temporary quarantining of West Point on August 20 due to concerns over containing Ebola. The quarantine, which was lifted on August 31, brought to light the critical shortcomings of the water system in West Point. In response, UNICEF committed to providing water tanks for the storage of clean water for the community, and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation committed to connecting those tanks to the city water and sewage system. By improving access to clean water for West Point residents, UNICEF hopes to decrease the likelihood that community members, including children, will contract not only Ebola, but also diarrhea—another illness endemic in the community.